Mindset Matters

The Power of Connection – Pure Unadulterated Guts Chapter 9

Description:

In this episode of Mindset Matters, we dive into Chapter 9 of my book Pure Unadulterated Guts — where we explore the strength that comes from relatedness and social support. Whether you're an athlete, entrepreneur, or everyday warrior, knowing who you lean on could be the difference between burnout and breakthrough.

Listen, reflect, and take inventory of your support system. Because guts aren’t just about going solo — they’re also about going together.

📖 Book: Pure Unadulterated Guts

🎙️ Host: Riley Jensen

💡 Topic: Chapter 9 – Relatedness and Support

In this powerful episode, I dive deep into Chapter 9 of Pure Unadulterated Guts — exploring the science and soul behind why human connection and support systems are absolutely essential for high performance.

Whether you’re a coach, parent, athlete, or high performer — your relationships are your rocket fuel.

Listen now to learn:

Why isolation kills momentum

How to build true support systems

What elite performers do to stay connected

🔥 New Episode Out Now 🔥

In this week’s episode of Mindset Matters, we dive into Chapter 8: Competence from my book Pure Unadulterated Guts.

Competence isn't about perfection—it's about preparation, repetition, and owning your craft. Whether you're a QB, CEO, or student, this chapter is for anyone trying to master their arena.

🎧 Listen here: https://soundcloud.com/riley-jensen-425842551/episode-257-competence-beats-confidence?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing&si=17802094051f45e89d5c1b35e1c98522

📘 Grab the Book Here: Pure Unadulterated Guts, https://www.amazon.com/PURE-UNADULTERATED-GUTS-Insights-Vulnerability-ebook/dp/B0CM42P3F5

Competence > Confidence.

In this week’s Mindset Matters podcast, we’re breaking down what really separates the greats from the average.

Confidence? It’s a feeling.

Competence? It’s earned.

From Messi’s left foot to Rodman’s rebounds to Brady’s focus—this episode (inspired by Chapter 8 of my book Pure Unadulterated Guts) dives deep into how you build competence and lean on it when the lights come on.

Scotty Edwards | Faith, Football, and the Power of Perseverance”

In this episode of Mindset Matters, Riley sits down with Stanford safety Scotty Edwards for a powerful conversation about football, faith, and the mental game of life. Scotty opens up about returning from an LDS mission, the challenges of chasing athletic and academic goals, and the importance of effort—even when results don't come easy. From handling social media pressure to finding motivation through Rocky Balboa and Rick Ross, Scotty’s story is a blueprint for perseverance, balance, and self-belief. A must-listen for athletes, parents, and anyone pursuing excellence on or off the field.

5-Minute Podcast Script:

Title: Competence Over Confidence—Why Your Past Victories Matter More Than You Think

Welcome back everybody, you’re listening to the Mindset Matters podcast, I’m your host Riley Jensen and today I want to talk about past victories matter more than you think.

Today, I want to talk about something that I believe changes everything—not just in sports, but in business, relationships, and life:

Competence.

Not confidence.

Competence.

A lot of people confuse the two.

Confidence? It comes and goes.

One day you wake up feeling like you can conquer the world. The next day—maybe after a bad game, a rough meeting, or just a sleepless night—you wonder if you’ve got what it takes.

But competence—competence is different.

Competence is knowing deep down, “I’ve done hard things before. I can do hard things again.”

It’s not about a feeling—it’s about evidence.

Here's a quick exercise for you—if you’ve ever worked with me one-on-one, you’ve heard this before:

Grab a pen.

Write down three things—three moments where you faced something tough and came out stronger.

It could be a game-winning moment.

It could be bouncing back from injury.

It could even be how you handled a tough family situation.

That list?

That’s your competence list.

It’s your receipt that you’ve overcome challenges—and you can do it again.

I’m reminded of one of my favorite movie scenes from Gattaca.

Vincent, the underdog, beats his genetically superior brother in a swim out in the ocean. His brother asks, “How did you do it?”

And Vincent says something very important to his brother in this moment:

“I never saved anything for the swim back.”

That right there—that’s competence in action.

It’s the refusal to be defined by limitations—whether those are external labels or the doubts in your own head.

Here’s where it gets interactive:

I want you to think of one area in your life right now where you’re hesitating.

Maybe you’re waiting to feel “motivated” before you start something.

Maybe you’re doubting your ability because you’ve had some setbacks.

Now, ask yourself:

✅ Have I ever overcome something hard before?

✅ Have I ever succeeded when the odds weren’t in my favor?

✅ Have I ever surprised myself with resilience?

If the answer is yes—and for most of you it is—then you don’t need to wait for motivation.

You need to lean on your competence.

In sports, we talk a lot about “the zone”—that magical state where everything feels effortless.

But let me tell you something I’ve learned working with elite athletes:

No one lives in the zone.

No one can replicate it perfectly every time.

What separates the great from the average isn’t that they’re in the zone all the time—it’s that they can win with their B or C game because they trust their competence.

I’ll leave you with this challenge:

Write down a competence list.

Choose one thing this week where you’ll act—not because you’re 100% confident—but because you’re competent.

You don’t need perfect conditions.

You don’t need to be the biggest, fastest, strongest.

You need to remember:

You’ve done hard things before.

You can do hard things again.

You don’t need permission to be great. So stop waiting, and get to work!

This episode is inspired by Chapter 8 of my book, Pure Unadulterated Guts.

If this resonated with you, I’d love for you to check out the book and share this episode with someone who could use a reminder of their own greatness.

“Commitment Is More Than a Choice”

Welcome back everybody, you’re listening to the Mindset Matters podcast, I’m your host Riley Jensen and today I want to talk about how commitment is more than a choice.

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to rise to the top, while others—equally talented—stay stuck in place? The answer often isn’t talent or luck. To me, It’s commitment.

Let me tell you a story I often share with my athletes and business clients.

There was once a young man with a dream job—he got his foot in the door at a prestigious company. For five years, he worked harder than anyone: first one in, last one out, always making sure the boss noticed. He was motivated. He was determined. And when a supervisor position finally opened up—he applied with confidence.

But he didn’t get it. The job went to someone who had only been there six months.

Fuming, he stormed into his boss’s office demanding to know why. The boss paused, then asked him to do something simple: go buy some oranges for his wife. Frustrated but obedient, the man came back with a bag of oranges—any kind, didn’t matter to him. Task done.

Then the boss gave the same task to the man who got the promotion. That employee made a call to the boss’s wife to ask what the oranges were for. Found out she was making juice. Asked the grocer which oranges were best for juicing—Valencia, by the way—negotiated a bulk discount, and even dropped the oranges off at her house on the way back.

See the difference?

Both followed instructions.

Only one committed to the task.

The truth is: motivation gets you started, but commitment gets you results. And commitment isn’t just about making a choice—it’s about owning that choice.

👉 Think about your own life for a moment:

Are you just going through the motions?

Are you waiting to “feel motivated” before you take action?

Or are you willing to choose your path—and then commit to it fully?

This is where Autonomy, one of the three pillars of Self-Determination Theory, comes into play. Autonomy is what I call the “I Choose” factor. And the more you actively choose your path, the more likely you are to stay the course when it gets hard.

I often say:

✅ Choose your love—and then love your choice.

It’s easy to choose something when it’s exciting. But real commitment is shown when it’s no longer new or easy.

Here’s how to build deeper commitment in your life starting today:

Stop overthinking. Over-analysis kills action. Get clear, get moving.

Know yourself. Strengths, weaknesses—own them all. Growth starts with honesty.

Write it down. A goal unwritten is just a wish.

Tell someone you trust. Accountability fuels follow-through.

Care—genuinely. Care about your work. Care about others. Care about your impact.

And here’s the key: Be authentic.

When you make choices that align with who you really are—your values, your passion, your intuition—you tap into a powerful fuel source. You don’t need motivation when your choices are authentic. You need commitment.

I think of my grandfather, Clark Owen Thompson—a man who wore many hats, from grocery store owner to insurance salesman. He wasn’t the wealthiest man. But he was authentic. He chose his path, he loved his choices, and he left a legacy of kindness, humor, and hard work. Ten of his great-grandchildren now carry his name. That’s impact. That’s a life well-lived.

So today, I’m challenging you:

✅ Challenge 1: Pick two things you want to get done this week. Give yourself a reasonable deadline. Then do them. Small wins build momentum.

✅ Challenge 2: Start aligning your words with your actions. If you say you’re going to do something—show up and do it, with excellence. Don’t just grab any oranges. Find the best ones.

Remember:

Motivation comes and goes.

Commitment is a choice you make—and keep—every single day.

5-Minute Podcast Script: “Autonomy: The Power of ‘I Choose’”

Welcome back everybody, you’re listening to the Mindset Matters podcast, I’m your host Riley Jensen and today I want to talk about Autonomy and the power of the phrase “I choose”

Let me ask you something like I always do.

Do you love what you do?

Like, deep down… do you still love it?

One of my favorite sports movies of all time is The Rookie, starring Dennis Quaid. If you’ve seen it, you know it’s more than just a baseball story—it's a story about rediscovering purpose.

In the film, Jim Morris, a high school baseball coach who long ago gave up on his dream of the majors, gets pushed by his students to try out one last time. Along the way, he wrestles with doubt, fear, and the question that many of us face at some point:

Is this still worth it?

And in a pivotal moment, his wife simply asks him:

“Do you still love it?”

That question changes everything for him.

So here’s my question for you:

👉 Do you love it?

👉 Even if you’re not winning every time, do you still love the process, the game, the journey?

Because you won’t always be at 100%. You won’t always feel like you’re crushing it. But when you have Autonomy—when you choose your path—something powerful happens: you start to show up differently.

💡 In sport psychology, we call this Self-Determination Theory. It’s built on three simple but profound ideas:

Autonomy – I choose

Competence – I can

Relatedness – I belong

Today, I want to focus on Autonomy: the power of “I choose.”

The truth is, when you’re doing something because someone else told you to—whether it’s your parents, your boss, or society—you’re less likely to stick with it when adversity hits.

But when you’ve made the decision for yourself—when you choose it—you’ll fight for it longer, you’ll have more grit, and you’ll stay more resilient.

This is true in sports. It’s true in business. It’s true in relationships.

Here’s a quick exercise for you right now:

📌 Think of something in your life that’s weighing you down. Maybe it’s a job you don’t love, a role you didn’t really choose, or a goal that doesn’t feel like yours.

Now ask yourself:

✅ Did I choose this?

✅ Do I love it?

✅ Is there a small decision I can make today to bring more choice and control back into my life?

Sometimes, it’s the tiniest choices that shift everything. In one study, nursing home patients were simply given the freedom to adjust their own room temperature, pick their meals, or move furniture. The result? They became happier, more active, and more alive.

You don’t need to quit your job or move across the country today. But you can:

✔ Choose how you respond.

✔ Choose one activity that fills your cup.

✔ Choose to say “no” to one thing that drains you.

And here’s the other truth:

Stop chasing motivation.

Start building commitment.

Motivation comes and goes. Commitment? That’s what makes greatness.

It’s not about waiting until you feel like it. It’s about showing up because you chose this.

So today, ask yourself:

👉 Where in my life can I say, “I choose”?

👉 Where can I move from should to want?

And if you’re stuck—start small:

✅ Write down one thing you’re grateful for.

✅ Take one small action that’s truly yours.

✅ Say “no” to something that doesn’t serve you.

That’s how you start living your “I choose” life.

👉 I’d love to hear your thoughts—DM me on Instagram @rileysjensen or tag me with your biggest takeaway from today’s episode.

Dreams Don’t Produce (But Plans Do)"

Welcome back everybody, you’re listening to the Mindset Matters podcast, I’m your host Riley Jensen and today I want to talk about turning dreams into plans.

Let me ask you a simple question:

Are you dreaming… or are you planning?

Listen, having dreams is awesome. I’m all for dreaming big. I’m a dreamer—I’ve always been one. But here’s the truth most people won’t tell you:

👉 Dreams don’t produce.

Plans produce.

Dreams are free. They live in your mind. They feel good. But they don’t move the needle. What moves the needle? A plan.

Let’s break it down:

Dreams are unlimited. They’re vague. They can last forever in your mind.

But a plan? A plan has a deadline. A plan demands effort. It costs you time, energy, discipline… sometimes even money.

Dreams can motivate you… but a plan will actually transform your life.

Here’s a question for you right now—wherever you’re listening:

Do you have a real plan? Or are you just hoping?

I see it all the time with athletes, entrepreneurs, and high performers. We say things like:

“I dream of being mentally tough.”

“I dream of being the starting quarterback.”

“I dream of losing weight or getting that promotion.”

But when I ask, “What’s the daily plan?” …crickets.

No judgment. Just awareness. Because here’s the deal—your dreams are valid. They matter. But without a plan, they’re just decorations for your imagination.

🔥 Let’s Get Practical. Here’s Your Challenge Today:

#1 – The Gratitude Reset.

Tonight, before you go to bed, write down three things you’re grateful for. Seriously. Grab a notebook, or the Notes app on your phone. It could be simple:

Health

My family

The opportunity to compete

Or go deeper if you want. Gratitude isn’t fluffy—it’s tactical. Research shows it resets your brain, improves sleep, boosts performance, and literally makes you more mentally tough.

#2 – Write a Gratitude Letter.

Pick someone who’s made a difference in your life—a coach, a teammate, a parent, a mentor. Send them a text, a DM, or—if you’re old school—write a handwritten note. Something like:

“Hey, I just wanted to thank you. You’ve made an impact on my life, and I appreciate you.”

Two things happen when you do this:

1️⃣ You make their day.

2️⃣ You reset your own mindset toward growth instead of comparison.

🎯 Final thought:

It’s easy to get caught in “dream mode.” But what wins? Execution.

Dreams inspire. Plans transform.

So today, audit your life:

What’s the dream?

Where’s the plan?

And what are three things you’re grateful for today that prove you’re already making progress?

This is Pure Unadulterated Guts. Let’s go to work.

🎙️ Title: Tools to Crush Unrealistic Expectations

Good morning everybody, you’re listening to the Mindset Matters podcast, I’m your host Riley Jensen and today I want to talk about tools that can crush unrealistic expectations.

Question for you...

When was the last time you felt like you were behind in life? Behind in your career, behind in your sport, behind in… everything?

Yeah… me too. Way too often.

We chatted in a past episode about the one toxic little word: “should.”

I should be further along.

I should have figured this out by now.

I should be perfect.

It’s a dangerous word.

However, his episode is all about crushing those unrealistic expectations—and replacing them with tools that actually move you forward.

Tool #1: Gratitude—The Ultimate Reset Button

I work with a high-level golfer named Taitum Beck. She uses a tool that’s ridiculously simple but insanely powerful.

At the end of each round, no matter how she plays, she writes:

✍️ 3 things she’s grateful for

✍️ 1 thing she learned

That’s it. Simple. But you wouldn’t believe how it transforms her mindset.

When you're grateful, it’s nearly impossible to beat yourself up the same way. Gratitude grounds you in reality, not in some imaginary, perfect version of yourself.

And it’s not just a warm, fuzzy idea.

✅ Gratitude improves sleep.

✅ Reduces anxiety.

✅ Improves resilience.

✅ Boosts performance.

Science backs it. Stanford research shows that improving sleep alone from 6.6 to 8 hours a night improved athlete performance across the board—faster reactions, better shooting percentages, and fewer mistakes.

Want to be clutch? Want to show up better for yourself? Start with gratitude.

Tool #2: Humor—Laugh at the Crazy

Sometimes you just have to stop and go…

“Well, THAT’S a ridiculous expectation.”

Call it out. Laugh at it. Take its power away.

“I should be perfect today.”

Really? Since when did anyone master life in a day?

Tool #3: The Double Standard Test

Ask yourself:

“If my best friend were in this exact same situation… what would I say to THEM?”

Chances are, you’d be kind. You’d be supportive. You’d remind them of how far they’ve come—not how far they “should” be.

Why not talk to yourself the same way?

Tool #4: The Impact Check

Here’s an exercise: Write this down.

What is the COST of my unrealistic expectations?

Do they make me better… or just miserable?

Do they push me toward growth… or toward burnout?

Sometimes, just seeing the damage they cause is enough to start shifting them.

Tool #5: Forgiveness—Out Loud

This one’s big. When the pressure is mounting, I literally say out loud to myself…

“It’s okay, Riley. You’re doing the best you can with the tools you have.”

Forgiveness isn’t weakness. It’s fuel for the next step forward.

Tool #6: Flexibility—Let Go of Perfect

Life doesn’t follow your perfect plan. Neither does growth.

Being flexible isn’t giving up. It’s adjusting. It’s pivoting. It’s learning that change isn’t failure—it’s just… change.

🔥 Challenge for You Today:

Pick one of these tools. Just one.

Start a gratitude journal.

Try the double standard test.

Forgive yourself—out loud.

Then ask yourself this:

“What expectation have I been carrying… that I can finally let go of today?”

[Closing Thought]

We often create pictures of how we think our life should look right now. And typically we get angry or frustrated when it doesn’t look the way we think it should.

Tear up that picture. Live YOUR life, not the imaginary one in your head.

You didn’t come this far just to come this far.